Joseph w



Aug. 28, 1928.

J. w. BlsHoP swncuv Filed April 4, 192s 4Patented Aug. 28, 1.9428..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. BISHOP, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T THE BRUNSWICK-BALKE- COLLENDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 0F DELA- WARE.

SWITOE.

The main object of my invention is to provide an improved switch for controlling a plurality of circuits which has independently actuated switch mechanisms adapted to lock one another against operation.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved switch which has independently actuated switch mechanisms and is adapted to hold one switch mechanism inoperative when another switch mechanism is operated; which has a plurality of independently actuated switch mechanisms and is adapted toprevent simultaneous operation thereof; and which has a plurality of switch mechanisms of the push-button type and is adapted to hold the push button of one switch mechanism inoperative when another switch mechanism is actuated.

Other objects of myinvention will become apparent as the following description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein Fi 1 is a side elevation of a switch embodylng the novel features of my invention.

Fig. 2` is a ,section taken 4on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig; 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1. v

As shown in the drawing, my improved vswitch is preferably provided with a face plate 10 having an inwardly projecting frame member 11 formed integral therewith. A bent bar 13 adapted to support a pair of insulat- A, ing blocks 14 and 14a is secured to the inner endvof the frame member l1 by screws 12. The insulating blocks 14 and 14a are rlgidly secured to inwardly projecting le s 15 and 15a of the bent bar 13 by means o screws 16. Each of the insulating blocks n14 and 14'1 has associated with it one of a pair of push b uttons 17 and 17a, the push button 17 being associated with the insulating blck 14 and the push button 17 being associated with the insulating block 14a. The push buttons117 '46 and 17 a are slidably mounted in the faceplate 10 and in the bent bar 13. vFor this and other purposes the/inner end of the push button 17 t vterminates in an elongated rodl 18 having a diameter less than the diameter ofthe outer end of the push button 17, and the push button 17 a terminates in a similar elongated rod 18. The rods 18 and 18 are received in apertures 19' of the bentbar 13. It will be noted that the push buttons 17 and 1,7a are provided with beveled surfaces 20 and 20 adapted to engage and displace a plunger v21 disposed between the push buttons and slidably journaled in a bore 22 'of the frame member 11. The plunger 21 provides means for locking either of the push buttons 17 and 17a against displacement when the other of' the push buttons is depressed to actuatea switch mechanism associated with it.

The swltch mechanism associated with the push button 17 comprises a pair of wiring terminals 24, one of which is riveted to either side of the insulating block 14 by rivets 25. The rivets 25 are insulated from the wiring terminals 24 in the. usual manner by means of lnsulating sleeves 26 and insulating strips 27. Each wiring terminal 24 is provided wlth a screw 29 and integral ears 30, by means of which an electrical conductor (not shown) forming part ofan electric circuit may be connected to the wiring terminal. One end of each of vthe wiring terminals 24 lies adjacent the upper end of anarcuate track 32 formed in the insulating block 14 and they may be engaged by a metallic roller 33 associated with the track 32. Engagement of the wiring terminals 24 bythe roller 33 will of course complete an electric connection between the wiring terminals and close the circuit of which the wiring terminals form a part.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the roller 33 is carried in one end of a lever 35, the roller 33 having an annular groove 36 intermediate its ends which is adapted to receive a tongue 37 of the lever 35. The tongue 37 is grooved so that it; may rotatably journal the roller 33, the roller 33 being held in the groove by means of the track 32 and a helical compression spring 38 wound about the lever 35. One o end of the helical compression spring 38 bears against a shoulder 39 turned upon .the levelf 35, and the other end'of the spring bears against a pin 4Q which serves to loosely pivot the lever 35 to a bar' 41 rigidly secured in the rod18v of the push button 17 One end of the bar `41V isv received .between bifurcations 42 of the lever 35 and-the 'pin40 of the bar 41 is received in slots formed in the bifurca-l tionsI 42,.-

Theioller 33 and the lever 35'are norm l1 held in the position shown in Fig. 1 throng the medium of a helical compression spring 44 wound around the rod 13 of the push4 button 17 and having one of its ends resting against the bent bar 13, and the other end o f the sprmg 444 rests against the bar 41. It is apparent that the spring 44 yieldingly holds the push button 17 in a position wherein a collar 45 formed upon the push button will engage the inner surface of the face plate 10, and it is also apparent that when the collar 45 is in engagement with the face plate 10 the roller 33 and lever 35 will be positioned as shown in F ig.v 1, and will not be in engagement with thewirin terminals 24. However, the roller 33 may e ectrically connect the wiring terminals 24 if the push button 17 is depressed, for in that event the downward movement of the pin 40- will compress the compression spring 38 until the pin 40 reachesa position relative to the roller 33, wherein the spring 38 may cause the lever 35 to drive the roller 33 along the track 32 until it engages the wiring terminals 24. The roller 33, lever 35 and push button 17 will then be in positions relatively to the insulating block 14 which are identical to the positions in which the push button 17, lever 35* and the roller 33a are shown relative to the insulatin block'14, and the circuit which includes t e terminals 24 will be closed.

The radius of the circle of which the track 32 is an arc is preferably of greater length than the distance between the axes of the roller 33 and pin 40 when the roller 33 and pin 40 are in the positions relative to each other shown in Fig. 1. This design enables the spring 38 to snap the roller 33 into and out of engagement with the Wiring terminals 24 so that arcing between the terminals and the roller is reduced to a minimum.

The lever 35'.L and roller 33a form part of a switch mechanism associated with the push button 17", which is identical with the switch mechanism associated with the push button 17, and which comprisesathe lever 35 and rollerv 33. Thus the bearing blocky 14 is provided with wiring terminals 24frigidly secured to the insulating block 14 by rivets 25.* which are insulated from the wiring 'terminals 24", and

' the wiring terminals 24may be electrically connected bythe roller 33*iL carriedby the lever 35 whlch is loosely pivoted by means of 'a pin 40* to a bar 41* carried'by the rod 18 of the push button 17 The several parts of the two switch mechanisms are identical in construction and are interchangeable as aforesaid, although they need not be to fall within the scope of my invention. V j- The aforementioned plunger 21 provides means whereby 'simultaneous depression of the push buttons 17 and 17 is prevented and which eectually locks either of the push buttons against displacement when the other push button is in a position wherein the roller 33 or the roller 33 1s held in engagement with the wiring terminals 24 or the wiring terminals 24* respectively. Each end of 'the plunger 21 isv provided with a conical surface, one

2l locks one of the push buttons agalnst placement when the other push button held in a position wherein it causes its associated wiring terminalsto be electrically connected bythe roller 33 or the roller 33. conical surface 48 of the lunger 21 is in en- Thus the` gagement with the beve ed surface 20, and

the push rod 21, and the push button 17 cannot be depressed as displacement thereof would necessitate displacement of the lunger 21 in a direction toward the push Button 17a. This displacement is impossible. as the push rod 21 is in engagement with that portion of the push button 17 having the larger diameter. It will be Yreadily understood, however, that if the push button 17 is `17eleased, the compression spring 44a associated with it will return it to the position wherein the switch mechanism actuated by it is in an open circuit condition. The push button 17 may then be depressed, as its beveled surface 20 will drive the plunger 21 toward the push button 17Il until the conical surface 48* 1s in engagement with the beveled surface 20* of the push button 17 a. Y

I have provided a pair of stops 49 rigidly secured to the frame member 11 byscrews 50 the stops 49 serving to limit the downward movement vof the push buttons 17 and 17 b engaging the collars 45 and 45 of the pus buttons 17 and 17 a respectively.

:In the operation of the device either of the push buttons may be depressed to actuate its switch mechanism whichwill then close the circuit associated with the push button'. But

simultaneous closing of the circuits is prevented by the plunger 21, and as long as either of the circuits is in a closed condition, the I switch mechanism associated with the other circuit is held in an inoperative condition.

I am aware that changes in the form, con

struction and arrangements of parts maybe made without departing from the spirit and without sacrificing the advantages of the invention and I reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope vof the following claims:

I claim: 1. In a switch, thevv combination with a plurality of switch mechanisms each com rising.

a push button, a lever loosely pivote to the push button, a roller carried bythe lever, a track for the roller, yielding means for keeping the roller in engagement with the track,

a terminal adapted to be engaged by the'- roller, and yielding means for holding the push button in a position wherein the roller is disenga ed from the-terminal, of meansV controlled y the push buttons for preventing simultaneous operation of the switch mechathe roller, and yielding means for holding 10 nisms. the push butt-on in a position wherein the 2. In a switch, the combination with a pluroller is disengaged from the terminal, of rality of switch mechanisms, each comprisa plunger slidably mounted in the switch and 5 ing a push button, a lever loosely pivoted to adapted to engage the push buttons to pre- .the push button, a. roller carried by the lever, vent simultaneous operation of the switch 15 a track for the roller, yielding means for mechanisms. keeping the roller in engagement with the p o track, a terminal adapted to be engaged by JOSEPH W. BISHOP. 

